Tips to make the most of a business trip

5 min read

All destinations have something magical to offer, usually very different from your hometown.

A business trip is usually a fleeting visit to a city that has a different culture than yours. Although these types of trips are focused on having a meeting or shopping, there is almost always an opportunity to do other activities that allow you to get to know the culture and attractions of the site.

Enjoying gastronomic tourism

If you have little time to go out and get to know, you should start with the food to have a direct encounter with the culture you are visiting. Each area has a typical dish and it does not matter if you have tried it before, because no preparation will have the same essence as the local cuisine, regardless of the destination.

To try some typical dish of the place where you are travelling, you can start by eating at the hotel or asking for recommendations. A great idea might be to have a business meeting in a typical restaurant so you can talk in a more relaxed way while learning about the culture of that region.

Take advantage of the charm of networking

A business does not always end when both parties achieve their goal. Many times that moment becomes the door to other deals in the future, all depending on the relationships that have been created. Travelling to an unknown city or country allows people with very different points of view to meet each other, which can bring a lot to each organization.

It’s all about getting to know them, whether in a business conversation or in a leisure space such as a café or dinner. These new contacts are not directly related to the business trip you went on, but if coincidences bring them together they may make great alliances later.

Using empathy to deal with business

Dealing with a business will always be a nerve-racking activity, especially if it is with people from a totally different culture. During the day, all these important issues can be dealt with in a serious way.

However, once all the meetings are over, you can move on to other contexts that generate more empathy and trust than you could achieve in a business lunch.

An evening out for dinner or a typical local cocktail party is a great opportunity to celebrate what you have done during the day and to get to know the people you are working with better, in a more relaxed atmosphere. Many businesses are achieved in this way, generating more empathy between the parties.

Paying for a few days on your own

Usually, a business meeting occurs during the week. It is not common for someone to travel to another city or country to discuss these issues on weekends. If on business you paid for one-way tickets to do a specific job, try to take advantage of the opportunity and stay a few more days on your own.

If you originally went for two or three days, stay the next weekend to see the main attractions of the destination. What better opportunity than being already there to enjoy a different location for a few days.

Living with the nature of the place

All destinations have something magical to offer, usually very different from your hometown. Depending on the characteristics of the site you are visiting, you can visit beaches, seas, mountains, deserts, valleys, rivers, lakes, among many other wonders of nature.

It all depends on the proximity between the place where you are staying and the point where the natural beauty you want to see is located. This is very important because everything is tied to time, as some visits can be short and long trips which would make it difficult to see them.

For this it is important to find out beforehand to look at the proximity and duration of each tour so that it does not interfere with your business trip.

Walking around the city

If your business trip is not going to last long, take advantage of the little time you have free to walk. Walking tours will allow you to learn more about the culture of the place because you will be able to interact directly with the people as opposed to taking the tourist routes.

This will be an experience that you will remember more and that you will be able to do in a short time. It is important not to go too far from the hotel or the place where you are staying to avoid getting lost.

Meeting friends or family

This option, perhaps, is not for everyone. It depends on whether you have an acquaintance in the city where you arrive. A business trip can be the perfect opportunity to see a friend or family member again and enjoy a moment of joy.

This person might be able to show you around better, taking you to the highlights. It would definitely be a memorable experience.

These are some recommendations to keep in mind when you go on a business trip to a city or country other than your own. Remember that all tourist activities are subject to the free time you have so as not to interfere with the agreed business meetings.

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